Chapter 18: Cindy’s Attention

Will was making the rounds with a drink in his hand, shaking hands and accepting congratulations on the Florida move and his new position in the Company. He smiled at everyone. The smile never quite reached his eyes. I watched him for a minute from across the yard and wondered what kind of promotion could make a man look like he was counting the minutes until he could leave his own party. Cindy did not stay with him. She drifted toward Sarah, and then toward me. She ended up on my other side, and when she spoke, she rested her hand on my forearm or shoulder. When I glanced over, she was usually already looking at me, mouth curved in a small smile. Sarah didn’t seem to notice, or if she did, it didn’t bother her. I noticed, though.

At one point, while I was speaking with a lead from another department and Sarah looked bored, Roxie appeared from the crowd, grabbed Sarah’s wrist, and pulled her toward a cluster of women near the deep end.

“Come on, I want you to meet a couple of people,” she said. Sarah looked at me, nervous, then followed.

The moment Sarah was out of earshot, Cindy moved closer and put her hand on my arm. “Buy me a drink, Nicky?” she asked, using her nickname for me.

“The bars are open,” I said. “Everything is free.”

“I know. I still want you to get it for me.”

We walked to the nearest bar together. She stayed pressed against my side while we waited. Her breast brushed my arm every time she shifted. The same nervous heat I had felt the afternoon I rubbed sunscreen on her back came back immediately. I kept my eyes on the bartender and tried not to think about how close she was standing. I couldn’t escape the smell of her perfume, sweet and strawberry-scented, that seemed to match her beautiful red hair perfectly.